LARGE FLEET SECURITY ENHANCED BY EYE BEACONS

INTRO

Vehicle theft is a major challenge and an unwelcome concern for cost-conscious fleet managers. The level of transport theft around the world is staggering. For example, between 2012 and 2020, auto thefts in South Africa alone are reported to have risen to nearly 20,000 stolen cars per year. Business owners and fleet managers are under pressure to protect their fleets as much as possible without spending a fortune.

CHALLENGE

Transport theft occurs in a wide range of industries – car-sharing, delivery, logistics, taxi, etc. As a result, banks, microfinance lenders, business owners and insurance companies have to take huge losses. This situation is costly and time-consuming, increasing business owners' willingness to find and invest in a solution.

Another challenge faced by fleet owners - compromised vehicle trackers by jamming or dismantling them. Even if a car is equipped with a GPS device, some thieves may know this and deliberately block or remove it, thus eliminating the possibility of tracking the stolen vehicle. Unfortunately, it is not possible to locate the car without such equipment.

The vehicle may also be vulnerable for other reasons, such as a broken tracking device or a faulty SIM card. Even configured warnings about jamming, tampering or removal might not provide enough data to recover the vehicle. This makes it an easier target for auto thieves. The security of the vehicle must therefore be maximised to prevent such actions and be a low-cost solution that extends fleet safety, and Teltonika Telematics can help make this happen.

SOLUTION

To solve these challenges for large fleets, we use Teltonika BASIC category legendary vehicle GPS tracker FMB920 and a Bluetooth®-based EYE Beacon. The latter is wireless, has a battery life of up to 10 years and comes with two mounting points or optional adhesive tape so it can be easily attached to any vehicle. This combination of two Teltonika devices is a sufficient and affordable way to noticeably improve fleet safety.

How it works - FMB920 trackers should be mounted in all vehicles in a fleet. On top of that, EYE Beacon is hidden somewhere in the vehicle, for example in the rear, and continuously advertises its data via Bluetooth®. If the vehicle is stolen and the GPS tracker is compromised, EYE Beacon will continue to broadcast its data.

When another vehicle in the fleet is in the near distance, its tracker reads EYE Beacon data of the stolen vehicle and sends it to the server and tracking platform, alerting people in charge of the situation and allowing them to pinpoint the approximate location of the stolen vehicle. As a result, fleet operators and managers can take appropriate action to recover the vehicle. It is worth noting that conventional jamming does not block the Bluetooth® signal on which EYE Beacon is based.

It also comes in handy if the vehicle GPS tracker is damaged, or if there are issues with the SIM card. The solution helps companies to create an autonomous network which requires minimal human intervention and beacons do not require SIM data. It is important to note that the larger the fleet with tracking devices (for instance, delivery, taxi cabs, car hire, leasing, utility, etc.), the more effective the solution is, as there is a higher probability that one of the vehicles in the fleet will pass by a vehicle with a compromised tracker.

Teltonika EYE Beacons have a range of up to 80 metres, so even if a vehicle whose tracker was stolen is further away from the street, it will still be detected. Plus, if EYE Beacon is tracked by more than one passing vehicle tracker, more precise location information will be gathered, increasing the chances of recovering a stolen vehicle faster.

These accessories are affordable and easy to install, which allows effortlessly adding an extra layer of security to the fleet. They have an intuitive and easy-to-use EYE mobile app for prompt configuration, data scanning, and debugging via Bluetooth® connection. The beacon is also compatible with all Teltonika GPS trackers with Bluetooth® functionality. FMB920 firmware updates and configuration changes can be made remotely using FOTA WEB tool - a powerful software solution helping to efficiently manage Teltonika vehicle GPS trackers.

TOPOLOGY

BENEFITS

• Fleet security under control – add an extra layer of safety to a corporate fleet to prevent car thefts and locate them faster if stolen.
• Prepared for (un)expected – data shows that vehicle theft is still a major issue that is worth preparing in advance.
• Self-expanding autonomous network – fleet security is enhanced with minimal human intervention and improves with every vehicle added to a fleet.
• Low-cost installation – wireless EYE Beacons are affordable, ready-to-install, easy to replace when needed and last up to 10 years.
• Particularly effective in large fleets – the more vehicles with GPS trackers in the fleet, the more efficient the solution.
• Improved profitability – the solution to theft prevention and recovered vehicles help to save insurance and new vehicle costs.

WHY TELTONIKA?

For a successful solution to your fleet challenges and to prevent theft, we invite you to rely on Teltonika Telematics, one of the leading companies in the telematics industry, with over 26 years of experience. Our wide range of products is designed to meet the real needs of our customers, and we provide the opportunity to combine products from different categories and types, such as vehicle GPS trackers, Bluetooth^® and other accessories or video telematics solutions from one trusted manufacturer - Teltonika Telematics. Our IoT products are designed and made in the EU, ensuring unrivalled quality and accuracy.